October 15, 2024 PACCA Accepting T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship Applications for Spring Semester The Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) is accepting T.E.A.C.H. scholarship applications for the spring 2025 semester. Learn More Early childhood education professionals who are interested in attending college for the spring semester that begins in January should apply to T.E.A.C.H. as soon as possible. Interested applicants should also begin the college admissions process now and contact an early childhood education advisor at their intended college or university. This helps to ensure that scholarship applicants are admitted to their school and can register for courses if/when they receive a T.E.A.C.H. scholarship. T.E.A.C.H. can provide contact information for advisors at partnering institutions. Applicants must complete and submit all required documentation by Friday, Nov. 15 to be considered for the spring 2025 semester. PACCA will continue to accept applications on an ongoing basis, however, incomplete applications and those received after the November date will not receive priority for consideration. New scholarship awards for the spring semester will be dependent upon funding availability at that time. More information on eligibility or program requirements can be found – and applications can be downloaded – on PACCA’s website. Counselors can be contacted on T.E.A.C.H.’s website.
September 11, 2024 T.E.A.C.H. Scholarships Now Available at Alvernia University The Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) will hold information sessions for T.E.A.C.H. scholarships that are now available at Alvernia University. Learn More PACCA has established a new partnership with Alvernia University to offer T.E.A.C.H. bachelor’s degree scholarships. The school offers a full online, accelerated, Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree program with PK-4 teacher certification. Information sessions will be held to provide information on the degree program and scholarship. Sessions will be held on: Friday, Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 6:30 p.m. Registration is now open for the Sept. 13 and Sept. 18 events.
T.E.A.C.H. Scholarships Now Available at Alvernia University The Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) will hold information sessions for T.E.A.C.H. scholarships that are now available at Alvernia University. Learn More PACCA has established a new partnership with Alvernia University to offer T.E.A.C.H. bachelor’s degree scholarships. The school offers a full online, accelerated, Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree program with PK-4 teacher certification. Information sessions will be held to provide information on the degree program and scholarship. Sessions will be held on: Friday, Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 6:30 p.m. Registration is now open for the Sept. 13 and Sept. 18 events.
September 3, 2024 PACCA: Child Care and Adult Food Program Roundtable The Pennsylvania Child Care Association and the state Education Department’s Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) are holding a roundtable on how child care and afterschool providers can serve free meals through CACFP. Learn More CACFP provides reimbursement for meals served to enrolled participants in non-residential child or adult care facilities. The intent of the program is to improve the diets of children and adults and to develop healthy eating habits through the service of nutritious meals and the provision of nutrition education activities. During the roundtable, participants will learn how to serve free meals through CACFP. They will also learn about the organization, how to get started, how to apply, eligibility, and basic meal reimbursements. The roundtable will be held in a Zoom meeting from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Registration is now open.
July 15, 2024 iLookOut for Child Abuse Project Q&A The Pennsylvania Child Care Association and the iLookOut for Child Abuse Project will host an interactive Q&A session on meeting CPSL requirements. Learn More The free online course covers issues on how to protect and support children and their families. iLookOut is part of Penn State College of Medicine’s Department of Humanities and Center for the Protection of Children. The iLookOut training can be completed over multiple sessions on a smartphone, tablet, or computer and has two parts: Mandated reporter training – a three-hour, interactive video-based storyline Advanced training – a three-hour series of five- to 12-minute animated micro-learning exercises More Details The free session will run from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on July 17. Registration is now open, but will close at 9:30 a.m. on July 17.
May 29, 2024 T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Graduate Recognition Event The Pennsylvania Child Care Association will honor more than 200 T.E.A.C.H. early childhood scholarship recipients who have earned degrees and credentials this year at an event in June. Learn More The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Pennsylvania Graduate Recognition Event will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, June 11 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Those interested in attending should register by Monday, June 10. T.E.A.C.H. is supported by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) of the state’s Department of Human Services and Department of Education.
August 22, 2022 Recording of 2022 Market Rate Survey Available A recording of the Pennsylvania Child Care Association’s (PACCA) 2022 Market Rate Survey and YOU webinar is now available for child care providers. Webinar Recording The webinar, which was held on August 17, 2022, includes information about the importance of the Market Rate Survey, the elements of the survey, and how the information may be used. The team from Penn State Harrisburg, Institute of State and Regional Affairs, coordinators of the survey collection and evaluation, shared the new complementary study in progress to assess the Cost of Care. Watch the recording. About the Market Rate Survey Every two years, the federal government requires that states conduct a Market Rate Survey of child care. Information from the Market Rate Survey provides the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) with important data to compare private pay prices with the Child Care Works (CCW) base rate reimbursements. Rather than pulling information from Provider Self-Service as conducted in 2016 and 2019, this year the Market Rate Survey requires child care providers to fill out a survey form. The final deadline to complete the survey is October 11, 2022.
March 7, 2022 Summer 2022 T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship Application Are you interested in attending college in Summer 2022? The Teacher Education and Compensation Helps (T.E.A.C.H) Scholarship application period is now open for summer semesters beginning in May or June! About T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship The Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) offers a variety of T.E.A.C.H. scholarships to meet the needs of the early care and education workforce in center and home-based settings. The scholarship: Pays for a percentage of the cost of tuition and books. Provides a travel stipend each semester. Reimburses child care centers for a percentage of the release time given. Provides counseling and administrative support for the child care program. Eligibility To be eligible, applicants must: work a minimum of 25 – 30 hours per week directly with children in a DHS-certified child care program, make $19 or less an hour ($25 or less per hour for directors), and be interested in pursuing coursework at a participating college toward a degree or credential in early childhood. Apply T.E.A.C.H. applications must be complete and submitted with all required documentation/ information by Friday, April 8, 2022, to be considered for the Summer 2022 semester. The Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) will continue to accept applications on an ongoing basis, however, incomplete applications and applications received after this date will not receive priority for consideration. To be considered for the Summer 2022 semester, completed applications must be submitted to PACCA through one of the following methods: Email: teachinfo@pacca.org Fax: 717.657.0959 Mail: 20 Erford Road, Suite 302, Lemoyne, PA 17043 For questions about scholarship eligibility or requirements, contact a T.E.A.C.H. Counselor at 717.657.9000. Watch the T.E.A.C.H. Scholarships: Financial & Other Supports to Help ECE Professionals Earn a Degree Debt Free! webinar for more information.
November 8, 2021 T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship Spring 2022 Deadline Are you interested in attending college in Spring 2022? The Teacher Education and Compensation Helps (T.E.A.C.H) Scholarship application period is now open! T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship Pays for a percentage of the cost of tuition and books. Provides a travel stipend each semester. Reimburses child care centers for a percentage of the release time given. Provides counseling and administrative support for the child care program. Eligibility To be eligible, applicants must: work a minimum of 25 – 30 hours per week directly with children in a DHS-certified child care program, make $19 or less an hour ($25 or less per hour for directors), and be interested in pursuing coursework at a participating college toward a degree or credential in early childhood. More Information T.E.A.C.H. applications must be complete and submitted with all required documentation/ information by Friday, November 14, 2021, to be considered for the spring 2022 semester. The Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) will continue to accept applications on an ongoing basis, however, incomplete applications and applications received after this date will not receive priority for consideration. For a full list of eligibility requirements, visit the PACCA website.